SI Golf U.S. Open Roundtable: Our Team Discusses PGA Tour–LIV Golf Alliance, the U.S. Open at LACC and Picks a Winner
As the world continues to react to the news that the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf have agreed to an alliance, the U.S. Open is set to be played at Los Angeles Country Club. To explore the story lines of the moment, we convened a roundtable with our staff on-site to further analyze the news and predict what will happen this week in L.A.
1. Now that you’ve had discussions with sources and soaked in the overall vibe, how big of a distraction is the PGA Tour–LIV Golf news on the players themselves?
Bob Harig: They are undoubtedly annoyed by it. There are numerous questions and no answers. And the players say that, for the most part. They understand why the questions are being asked but suggest they are not letting it impact their preparation. And once the tournament begins, this issue is likely to subside.
Alex Miceli: The smart ones know they don’t know and won’t for a while, so they will be distracted. Some will clearly be wondering and talking about what happened and what will happen next week; that’s just a given.
Gabrielle Herzig: The off-course news will be a distraction for players only if they let it become one. Rory McIlroy took things into his own hands and skipped his pretournament press conference. Collin Morikawa answered a merger question by talking about his FORE Youth Project. The USGA even stepped in to help Matt Fitzpatrick avoid answering yet another LIV-related inquiry at the end of his press conference. There are ways to manage it.
John Schwarb: Rory McIlroy spoke last week in Canada and canceled his press conference this week, despite being a past U.S. Open champion. Sometimes enough is enough … but he’s also paired with Brooks Koepka for the first two rounds. There’s just no getting away from this completely.
Jeff Ritter: It loomed large over the practice days and preround press conferences. Once things start Thursday, it’ll fade to the background in the press room. Will players be thinking about it on the course? I suspect not.
Farrell Evans: Once the golf starts Thursday, the players will focus completely on the championship. There are the majors and then there is the business of golf and the LIV–PGA Tour partnership is a business story that has nothing to do with the pressure of hitting a gap wedge to a slender target on a 78-yard par-3 to stay in contention in the U.S. Open.
2. If you were guaranteed a fully transparent response, what one question would you ask PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan today about the alliance?
Harig: Will LIV Golf exist in its current form or in any way separate from the PGA Tour and separate from the new for-profit entity that will be funded by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund?
Ritter: How confident are you that this alliance is really going to happen?
Miceli: No way to really know. It seems like each day brings a new thought to the survival of LIV. It is also very clear the PGA Tour would like to shut it down.
Schwarb: How dire was the Tour’s financial situation?
Evans: Did you ever truly believe all the stuff you sold to Tiger, Rory and the rest of the players about fighting for the PGA Tour against the Saudi-funded LIV Tour?
Herzig: At what point did you realize this was the right direction for the Tour?
3. This U.S. Open is at LACC for the first time. The course is going to look great on television, but what kind of player does it favor?
Harig: Guys who hit their irons solid. Seems simple enough, but even the best players have poor ball-striking weeks. The greens will be firm, and precise shots are imperative. Missing greens will lead to difficult chip shots around the greens. Nobody can hit them all, but hitting the most will be important.
Miceli: The fact the U.S. Open hasn’t been here does not mean it’s not a typical U.S. Open venue. Fairways look wide, but effectively much narrower than they look with all the canter and bounce in them. The greens are tricky, and the bunkers are penal. Rough everywhere is more than sufficient and will cause more than a few pitchouts. Sounds like the typical suspects, good driver of the golf ball and patience will be rewarded.
Schwarb: Great scramblers will fill the Sunday afternoon tee times for sure.
Evans: The course favors major championship winners: players who have won on this stage and know the pressure. I don’t think there is a major championship venue that’s not well suited for Brooks Koepka or Jon Rahm or Phil Mickelson. They live for these moments.
Herzig: Can’t emphasize this enough—a wizard around the greens will win this week. The putting surfaces are tiny, and no one will be able to hit them all. Once the place firms up, everyone will have tricky up-and-downs, and not all players will be able to manage them. Creativity will be key around here.
Ritter: Hit as many greens as possible and hopefully avoid the need for that wizardry.
4. Which group are you most excited to follow Thursday and why?
Harig: Brooks Koepka, Rory McIlroy and Hideki Matsuyama. Koepka and McIlroy add the LIV–PGA Tour intrigue although they remain friendly. Matsuyama, the 2021 Masters champion, was alleged to have turned down a massive LIV Golf offer. They tee off late in the day, meaning a big audience.
Miceli: Phil Mickelson, Keegan Bradley and Pádraig Harrington. For Mickelson to do well I think a comfortable pairing is imperative. Bradley is a perfect pairing for Mickelson, and Harrington works well with anyone.
Schwarb: To be a bit different, I’ll take the group of reigning British/U.S. Open/U.S. Am champions. Cam Smith is a legit threat, Matt Fitzpatrick may be heating up and Sam Bennett’s swagger was on display at the Masters—is more in store this week?
Evans: Brooks, Rory and Hideki.
Herzig: Sahith Theegala, Cameron Young and Tom Kim. The future of the PGA Tour in one group.
Ritter: Rory’s group feels like the main event, but I like Tony Finau, Jordan Spieth and Patrick Cantlay as an undercard. Very interested to see if mikes pick up Spieth–Michael Greller interactions, as I suspect Jordan will have a lot to say at this quirky, thinking-man’s golf course.
5. As long as we’re here, let’s pick a winner. Who ya got?
Harig: If he can just putt somewhat above abysmal, Scottie Scheffler should win. His ball-striking in his past four tournaments has been statistically off the charts, his putting among the worst. At the Memorial, despite being at opposite ends of those categories, he missed a playoff by one shot. Driving and approach play will be huge at LACC. If he can get a few putts to drop, he should win his second major championship.
Miceli: Brooks Koepka. Honestly, it seems a bit too obvious, like an oversold stock, but seeing his play at Augusta and then again at the PGA Championship, how can you go any other way?
Schwarb: Our betting expert sold me on Cameron Smith to rule this firm-and-fast layout similar to how he won at St. Andrews.
Evans: I’m going with Brooks Koepka. He’s coming off a second at the Masters and a win at the PGA, and he’s won a U.S. Open at Shinnecock, which has similar characteristics as Los Angeles Country Club. Plus, he just wants it more than anyone else.
Herzig: There’s one thing I felt when walking around LACC yesterday, and it’s just an instinct: This course feels extremely “Spieth-y.” If he keeps control of what’s between his ears, this could absolutely be Jordan Spieth’s major comeback week (H/T to Keith Stewart).
Ritter: My heart says Tommy Fleetwood could emerge as a sleeper and steal it, but my wallet says to go Cam Smith for the Scottish-links vibe that exists around the green complexes here.